After the motion was passed, Joel Boot, executive director of the Christian Reformed Church, noted that staff had been working hard for months to prepare for the possibility of Faith Alive’s dissolution.

“Do not interpret [synod’s] lack of discussion as lack of interest,” Boot said. “We ask for your continued prayers as we continue to move forward with this.”

Faith Alive is the publishing agency of the Christian Reformed Church. Synod also approved a motion that some “critical functions” of Faith Alive – mostly related to faith formation materials such as Sunday school curricula—will be assigned to other areas of the denominational structure.

The Banner will operate under supervision of the CRC Board of Trustees on a temporary basis.

“Faith Alive needs to change,” its director, Mark Rice, told synod. “Faith Alive has been trying to operate like a small commercial publisher ….we thought revenue growth was the way out.

“It’s not anyone’s fault, it’s just a statement of what is. It’s a different market than it was 20 years ago.”